Friday night at the races!

The Rev - Number 66

For those of you anxiously awaiting the results of Friday night's race at Hi Way 92 Raceway Park in Gering, Nebraska, you have come to the wrong blog. I can't even tell you the different classes of cars, so don't ask. I'm still learning the ropes.

I can, however, tell you that the turn out was huge, estimated 250 people in stands and pits (I think half were from Bridgeport just to see if the preacher could really drive a stick shift race car or not!), the cake was delicious (Elia's 1st B-day party), the weather was freezing (35 degrees when we got back in the car at 11:20p), the wind, ridiculous, but typical for Western Nebraska, the cotton candy was sugary to perfection, the popcorn, unsalted, but edible, the beer, a flowing river. The staff were overly helpful in shuttling grandma to the seating area and back, (the whole area is wheelchair accessible), the rest of the crews were friendly & fun. The bathrooms, clean, and the people in Rev'd Up Racing Team shirts, a sea of yellow on the upper deck. I've never seen so many normally serious people jumping up and down, shouting in support for the Bumblebee Number 66. And then, he waved from the car, up into the stands! What a thrill. I thought Eden was going to pass out from excitement. The whole evening was family orientated and I didn't get heart burn when the kids were out of my sight.

If your wondering my personal opinion on the whole event, I'm not sure that after even 3 days I can tell you. It was cold. Elia was cranky and in constant need of Mommy, Lars was Ok with his rows and rows of lined up cars, until another little boy came up and attempted to play with him, then all broke loose in his little world and there wasn't enough Mommy to go around. People were asking me questions about the racing, to which I didn't know the answers (it was my first time at the track for a race). I felt a little insufficient as a race car driver's wife, (I'm just learning how to be a pastor's wife, and I've had 9 years practice!) and a little unprepared as a mother at the track and a little overwhelmed as a spectator in the stands.

Every time his car approached a corner on the oval, I instinctively turn my back to the track, afraid I'd be witness to a horrendous crash that would leave me a widow with three preschoolers. I mean, who really wants to marry into that situation?

I drove home tired with tired children and much to ponder. I think overall, it was fun. At least when the yellow cars were out there going round and round and I think I grinned once or twice when nobody else was looking.

One thing is for certain, though. The smile that he brought up from the pits into the stands after his first race said it all. He was having the time of his life. If he never got to drive a race car again, I think he would die a happy man.

Go get 'em, Rev!